GB Feature: SKALD: Against the Black Priory Interview

Successfully Kickstarted earlier this year, SKALD: Against the Black Priory is described as a dark fantasy RPG featuring modern design combined with a classic 8-bit look and feel. As the lead-up of promotional videos and Kickstarter updates has us feeling like the RPG has a lot of potential, we chatted up Scape-IT’s “AL” about the game. A sampling:

GB: One of your Kickstarter updates mentions that the game will be split into three acts. What does this mean for SKALD’s structure and what can we expect from the core gameplay loop? Will it be a focused story-driven experience, or something more free-form and exploration-based?

AL: “SKALD: Against the Black Priory” will be split up over three acts that take you to different parts of the game world. I intend for the players to have a lot of freedom to explore and adventure freely, but the game world will open up more and more as you progress thorough the acts. This game takes place in an area of the game world that’s a bit analogous to the North Sea and the islands therein.

You’ll start off on an island in the first act and then get access to a ship by the second act. Finally you’ll have gained enough skill and experience to lead an expedition into the high north and the games grim finale.

I want a game world and mechanics that encourage exploration and I love the idea of players needing to plan for expedition-style forays into the darker corners of the world.